TONY BELLEW insisted David Haye should rightfully be considered the favourite going into their rematch on Saturday.

Despite Bellew holding a win over his fierce rival, the Liverpudlian believes he ought to be labelled as the underdog for a second time, due to Haye’s successful past.

In a career which has seen Haye become a two-weight world champion, beating Nicolai Valuev for the WBA heavyweight title in 2009, Bellew feels Haye can only be considered as the rightful favourite heading into the rematch.

“No,” Bellew replied when asked if he should be the real favourite considering the result of the previous fight.

“Look at his career, look at all the belts he’s won with all the fancy names he’s beat, look at the old heavyweights he’s smashed,” Bellew said. “He beat ‘Lurch’ (Valuev) for God’s sake, and took his belt.

“He’s the great David Haye isn’t he, so, he’s always going to be referred to as just better than me, it wouldn’t matter if I beat him five times in a row I’ll never be looked at as better than him.”

“That comes down fact I speak my mind and aesthetically I don’t look as great as him, that’s all it comes down to.

“If I had AJ’s body they’ll probably be calling me king of the world but I haven’t got it, so it is what it is… I’ll just keep referring to AJ as king of the world.”

Haye has revealed a loss or even an underwhelming win come Saturday could spell the end of his career, and Bellew failed to disagree with his opponent’s statement.
Boxing – Tony Bellew & David Haye Public Work-Outs – Spitalfields Market, London, Britain – May 2, 2018 Tony Bellew and trainer David Coldwell during his work out Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

“If he can’t beat a little fat cruiserweight than what is he in the game for?” Bellew said. “Oh no, sorry, David’s in it to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

“So what he might say [were he to lose] is, ‘I’m not a cruiserweight you know, and it just went wrong and this went wrong, so what I’ll do is face a massive heavyweight and I can beat him because he’ slower than me.